Officials said 76% of their patients receive Medicaid benefits, and starting next year, the staff fears cuts federal cuts to Medical could impact patients and the community.
On Wednesday, a delegation lead by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi got a tour of the new Women's Wellness Center.
It opened in January at Loretto Hospital, and it is a way to bring in more revenue from patients who have private insurance. Loretto administrators are trying to prepare for Medicaid cuts as the majority of Loretto patients receive Medicaid benefits.
"We already operate lean, so when something unexpected like a generator breaks, it really has us going back to the table and reimagine how we come up with dollars to fill in that gap," Loretto Hospital CEO Tesa Anewishki said.
Sherrie Spencer is the Chief Nursing Officer at Loretto Hospital.
"We were seen a significant increase in people seeking services for mental health disorder, substance use disorder, and we are also seeing an increase in the migrant population seeking help," Spencer said.
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Spencer says any service cuts would hurt not only the patients, but also the community.
"We are having strategy meetings to see how we can keep these programs going, but the reality is if we don't have funding, we may have to close these programs," Spencer said.
Patients like James McCants may not realize the changes that could be ahead. He says he has been coming here for addiction treatment and medical care the last two and a half years.
"I think for me, Loretto saved my life," McCants said. "It's meant a lot to me. It's like one-stop shop. I get my medicine here. I see my health providers here."
While some may call hospitals like Loretto a safety net, administrators there say there is no safety net for them. If they have to deal with less Medicaid revenue, they will have to make tough choices.